The song earned Williams a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 2004.

[1] A review of the song from AllMusic stated: "The muck and mire of 'Righteously', with its open six-string squall, is pure rock.

It's an exhortation to a lover that he need not prove his manhood by being aloof, but to 'be the man you ought to tenderly/Stand up for me,' Doug Pettibone's overdriven, crunching guitar solo quotes both Duane Allman and Jimi Hendrix near the end of the tune.

"[2] Robert Hilburn, in his review of World Without Tears for the Los Angeles Times, stated "The tempo picks up on 'Righteously', but the lyrics still speak of the search for some shelter in a stormy relationship.

7 on their list of the best Lucinda Williams songs, writing "In a sense, 'Righteously' is a sophisticated update of 'Passionate Kisses'.